Sabotage
by chiefer440
Summary: At the celebration of the 1st anniversary of the treaty they put together, Prince Nicholas and Lady Max should be dancing the night away. But when Max collapses poisoned in Fang's arms as they learn of a plot to destroy the treaty, it's up to Fang to find Max's poisoner and stop the destruction of the kingdom he's going to inherit, while grieving for Max. FAX. AU. AH.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, I know I should be working on What Happened? but I had this (moderately scary) dream and I was like, okay, so I'll make a story and instead of letting it go to waste in my documents, I'll just make the dream me Max, and my handsome savior Fang. (I'm not going to tell you who it was in my dream).**

**Max POV**

We were at a banquet, celebrating the 1st anniversary of our treaty with the other five kingdoms. I squeezed Fang's hand under the table. He smiled at me. We engaged in useless conversation with the people sitting around us, waiting for the food to be brought out. I smiled and acted just like a perfect princess-to-be should be like. My blonde hair was curled and pretty. They had forced some powder on my face, but I had refused to wear a dress. Instead, I was wearing black silk pants and a blue shirt with some undetectable fancy embroidery.

The huge wooden doors swung open and servants brought out piles of food. There was pork, chicken, beef and duck (which I always stayed away from). Also, tons of fancy salads were served with too many types of dressing's to count. Our glasses were filled with fancy wine, and I was just about to slowly and politely dig in like a lady when a man walked in that looked like he had a metal rod going up his spine. He showed no emotion. He walked over to Fang and I.

"Prince Nicholas," Bartholomew sneered at me. He had never liked me. "Lady Max," I smiled sweetly at him. Fang rolled his eyes at me. "You are wanted in the foyer," Bartholomew nodded. Fang and I got up together.

"Always a pleasure, Bartholomew," I held out my hand and waited for him to kiss it. He kissed it, his lips barely touching the back of my hand. Fang wrapped his arm around mine and lead me out of the room.

"Must you taunt that man?" he asked. I smiled and nodded. Fang rolled his eyes and I kissed his cheek. "You missed," he smiled a Fang-smile, that is the corner of his mouth quirked up. I kissed the back of his head.

"Better?" I asked. He shook his head.

"What am I going to do with you, my lady Max?" He said as he swung the door open. He held it open while I walked through. I nodded my head to Queen Valencia. She smiled at me. She nodded at two empty chairs next to each other.

"We have evidence that one of the kingdoms is trying to sabotage us," Her smile disappeared, replaced with one of grim determination. She babbled on about how we had gotten threatening messages attached to royal horses missing their riders.

"How can we be sure it is not a separate group?" High Knight Iggy asked from next to me. The Queen provided her evidence and I coughed. Iggy handed me a handkerchief and I sneezed into it. I held on to it. Fang patted my arm and nodded towards the door. He walked over to talk to the guard about something. I blinked. Why was there something in my eye? I rubbed my eye and I coughed. Spit landed on my sleeve. I wiped my mouth in the dark room. My hand felt wet. I pulled it back and it glistened red. I didn't pay any attention to it.

Five minutes later, I was still coughing. I wiped my face and my sleeve was drenched. My nose was bleeding, I was coughing blood. My forehead was sweating and I was crying (and not because the Queen was making a beautiful speech about how we would find and eliminate this enemy). I blinked and the room started spinning. I got up to go to the bathroom and stumbled. I had almost reached the door, when I stumbled. Fang caught me. I grabbed on to his arms. I looked into his eyes.

"It's okay, Max," Fang said. "The Royal Physician is coming, he'll save you," Fang said frantically. I shook my head. I whispered something to him.

"Good night, Fang," I said. He pulled my head up and kissed me. I'm sure the blood I was coughing up didn't taste too good, but he didn't care. I opened my eyes while we kissed, but closed off my ears, so the last thing I would see is Fang.

My world went black.

0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000

There is nothing more terrifying than your loved one collapsing in your arms, coughing blood and sweating profusely. I felt her neck at once. I felt a small, slowing pulse. A brown woman pushed me away and caught Max. She placed Max on the stretcher with more strength than I would have thought for a woman of her size.

"Who are you?" I asked defensively. What if she worked for the person who poisoned Max?

"The Royal Physician," She said. I stared at her. "You can call me Monique if you want to call me anything other than Miss," She ordered the men carrying the stretcher out of the room. She turned before she was out the door. "I'll save her, don't worry," She smiled sadly and followed them. My mother put a hand on my shoulder.

"Sweetie, I am so sorry," she turned me around and hugged me. I didn't even care about the nickname.

"Fang!" my little sister cried. She joined the hug party. "I came as soon as I could," I pushed them off and walked to the ballroom. I walked through the doors and went to close them. Iggy and his friend, Gazzy were already there. They smiled at me. I nodded and walked to the platform.

"Everyone!" I shouted getting their attention. "There has been an attempted murder here," the ladies gasped. "No one will leave the castle until it has been solved," My mother nodded.

"Someone has been threatening our alliance as well, so we now believe that person is in the castle," She explained the overbearing circumstances for the murder. I looked at her and she flicked her hand at her waist, telling me to go. I ran out the door, Iggy and Gazzy standing there.

I ran to the physician's room. Monique was standing there, looking at Max. I burst in. she wheeled around.

"She has lost tons of blood, but she's entered a coma, so she should be good until her body starts producing more," Monique said, knowing what I was going to ask. "Angel!" she called and a girl with bouncing blonde curls walked out. Her young face had an air of seriousness to it.

"Did the blood stop?" she asked, not bothering to bow. Monique nodded. "Good, I don't like blood," she glanced at me. "Why is Prince Fang here?" she asked. Monique shrugged and Angel pressed a cold, wet cloth to Max's forehead.

"What can I do?" I asked. Monique looked at Angel, who nodded and Monique lead me out into the hallway.

"Lady Max has just lost a ton of blood. I suggest staying away and finding the man who tried to poison her." I started to protest to Monique's words, but she shushed me. I'm a prince! She can't shush me! "It's best if you stay away so Max doesn't unconsciously try to wake up to see you. Your voice could trigger her to end the coma and if that happens I'll need all the queen's horses and all the queen's men to hold her down while her blood regenerates, which could take four to six weeks." I nodded and walked away.

I was going to find Max's poisoner if it was the last thing I did.

**Might it be foreshadowing? I don't know… and I'm the writer so that's sad. But don't worry, max is going to be our key to the past. She's not gonna die, that would be stupid and just so sad…but I think she died in my dream and I was like "NO! I can't die!" and my subconscious made me come back to life, but that won't happen (max dying). Oh, the dream ended when the POVs switched. It was a scary dream. I was coughing blood and then I collapsed? In a coma/death? Not good. **

**I also promise to update What Happened? soon (this week), so review and make me happy. I'm also looking for the names of the Kingdoms, so review me some of those. I'll choose five I like. **

**Chiefer440**


	2. Chapter 2

**I feel so accomplished! Two different chapters in one day! Eek! I'm going to see Aida, the musical in a while with my crazy aunt, and some of my cousin's friends. And some of my own friends...it's going to be a busy car ride...But anyway, here's chapter 2, which is Max reliving the time she met Fang and his mommy. **

**Max POV**

"Let's see what the Coin of Fate has to say," the strawberry blonde knight cackled, his blonde companion smiling.

"Let's see what my fist has to say," I slammed my right hand into his stomach, causing him to fly across the courtyard.

"Little lady, I am a High Knight," the ever-so-powerful High Knight got up, brushing himself clean.

"Big boy," I smiled, reversing his comment. "I am a commoner," I paused as he walked over to me. "And I'm gonna kick your ass from here to next week," I grabbed his shoulder and twisted him down and flipped him over my leg. He fell with a thud.

"Little girl," I had forgotten about his blonde friend. "You're going to be in the prisons till next week," he laughed and hauled me off to the queen's sitting room where she received the people that have issues in her kingdom. I was the issuee. I looked at the giant white marble and whistled. This was fancy.

"What did she do again?" The queen asked the High Knight, the ones whose ass I whipped.

"She took me out, by punching me halfway across the courtyard and flipping me over her leg," The stupid Knight smirked at me.

"She's is going to be a bodyguard for my son," the Queen said proudly. The knight and I stared at her, mouths open. "NICHOLAS!" She screamed. An attractive looking young man stepped out from behind a red velvet curtain.

"Yes, moth-" he saw me. "You," he glared at me.

"Oh, look who it is!" I cried out. "It's the jackass," I frowned.

"Glad you two know each other," the Queen smiled at me.

"Know each other?" Nicholas said, voice rising with infliction. "She knocked me out a week ago!" I shrugged and nodded. He was in the upper-end side of town, wearing the wrong clothes. The ladies and lords pay me to protect them from bad-looking people.

"You weren't where you were supposed to be," I smirked smugly.

"She's going to be accompanying you on your trip west to Maddox," his mother interrupted him.

"I thought I was doing that!" The knight added.

"You would stick out too much," the queen said. "Fang and," she didn't know my name.

"Max," I supplied.

"Fang and Max," she smiled at me. "Can pretend to be eloping," the prince and I blanched.

"Us?" The prince said.

"You must not be right in the head," I said. "I mean, you've known me, what? Five minutes? And you trust me with your son?"

"I think it will be great!" the knight laughed on the floor. The prince and I glared at him.

"Perfect!" The queen beamed. "Thank you, Iggy," I choked back a laugh.

"What kind of a name is Iggy?" I choked out. Iggy walked over to e and drew out his sword.

"What kind of a name is Max?" He countered as he held the sword against my throat. The cold metal tickled. He quickly slid his sword back into his scabbard and started walking out the door. I waited.

_1…._

_2…._

_3…._

"WHERE'S MY SWORD?" Iggy screamed from the hallway. I collapsed on the ground in laughter, Iggy's sword clenched against my side. He charged back in. I held the sword out, tip towards me, and then when he got close, I slid it into myself. Blood squirted out. Iggy gasped along with Queen Valencia and Nicholas(Fang?). The Queen called for a physician. One came, but by them I was already on the windowsill.

"Jesus," I sighed. "That was goat's blood, and the sword went between my arm and side," I rolled my eyes. "And there I'm not going with Princey Boy to Maddox. The place is a trash dump," I leaned backwards and fell off the windowsill. They ran to the window. I grabbed a clothesline and glided down the clothesline, my hands burning, until I reached ground. Then I dropped off and went into hiding.

* * *

The memory ends and I'm back in blackness. I want to smile, but I can't seem to control my body. I wonder how Fang is. He can't be well. Neither am I. The blackness swirls and I'm in another memory.

* * *

I'm in the alley where I spend my days. I'm partially nocturnal, when I need sleep. I'm used to about 10 hours of sleep a week. It's not healthy, but who's complaining?

"Ma'am," A deep, unfamiliar voice intones. "You are with the Queen's Guard. We suggest you not fight us, because, given your reputation on the street, we have come with extra security," I open one eye and immediately open my other one. There are 20 burly guys surrounding me.

"Okay," I sighed. "Let's go," I pushed passed them to go to the castle. I had dignity, if I didn't have a home, or anything else worthy of notice. I walked in the middle of the impressive guards, who had arranged themselves in a circle around me.

"Can't we get some horses?" I whined halfway to the castle. The lead guard turned and shook his head at me. I huffed. We trudged onwards. "Did I do something?" I asked. The guard nodded his head. "Oh, yeah," I rolled my eyes. "That whole thing with Iggy the High Knight's sword," I looked at the guard. "They're still mad about that? That was a week ago," I turned around to look behind me. "What's your name?" I asked the guard who was talking to me.

"They've been trying to track you down for the past week," the guard, who I am now calling Frances, said.

"Glad to know I'm so hard to find, Frances," I pranced forward, pretending I was on a horse. Or maybe I was a horse. I don't know, but whatever I was, I was freaking the guards out. I was welcomed into the same marble room again and I saw Iggy cracking his knuckles. I waved and smiled at him. He just narrowed his eyes. I saw the Prince sitting on his throne, his mom next to him.

"Max!" The queen smiled graciously. I was released from the circle of guards.

"It's been a pleasure walking with you, Frances," I tipped my pretend hat to him. He walked quickly over to the other side of the room. "Now what do you want?" I turned to ask the queen.

"For you to accompany my son," the queen smiled. "There will be a high reward," I shook my head.

"I am doing that," Iggy stepped forward. I had an idea.

"Okay, I'll accompany your son," I shrugged. The queen clapped. Iggy walked towards me.

"I'm accompanying Fang," he growled. I stuck my face next to his.

"How about we fight for it?" I asked. "You want the honor, I want the money, and we both want the fight," I shrugged. "Seems like a win-win," I examined my hands. Iggy nodded and I cracked my knuckles and neck. Iggy charged. I stuck my foot out and he tripped. I shook my head and walked over to him.

"Never put all your strength in one move," I shook my finger at him. He punched, or at least tried to, my stomach. He would have gotten my lower stomach, but I'm too good. "Oh, low blow," I frowned. The queen laughed. Iggy got up and was swinging at me from every angle. I put my hands behind my back.

"You get a minute of me on defense, then I'll be all out." I ducked another punch. I jumped over a kick and our dance continued for a minute. "Are you tired?" I gave Iggy a pouty face. He had a bruise, which he gave himself, and I was fine. My heartbeat had barely risen above normal. Iggy shook his head and charged at me. I rolled my eyes. "Will he ever learn?" I said to my impressed audience. I was still looking at them and ducked Iggy's wild punch and threw one under his arm. I got in front of him and started to duck his blows while throwing my own. I saw an opening to his stomach. I threw my strongest punch. He flew into the wall, the marble echoing. I took a breath. I walked over and helped him up.

"I think I won today's battle," I patted the knight's shoulder in mock pity. I walked over to the queen, who was clapping.

"I've never seen anyone fight like that," the queen said in awe. "What method is that?" I laughed.

"It's advanced street kid," I chuckled. "Or you can call it means by which to survive, but I prefer Advanced Street Kid." The prince half smiled. I grinned at him. "So when do we leave?" I asked, mesmerized by his black eyes.

"As soon as possible." The queen said. I started walking out the door.

"Why aren't you coming?" I asked the prince.

"Don't you have family to say good bye to?" he asked.

"I said I learned street kid," I laughed. "Not kid who grew up with a nice family who loved her," I rolled my eyes at the queen's pity. It was written all over her face. "Now let's go," I gestured.

"I have to get my stuff," He said.

"From now on, you only own the peasant clothes you wear when you sneak down to the marketplace to see what life is like," I said, using my sleuth skills to baffle him. "Get dressed and we'll 'steal' two of the army's horses. Meet me in half an hour by the Lily Pond," I walked out and sat by the Lily Pond, waiting for Prince Fang to come.

* * *

** Yes, I realize I've been inconsistent with Fang's name, but once they are on the road in the next chapter or two, he'll be Fang, not Nicholas, or Nick, or Princey Boy, or the prince. **

** Yeah, so I still want names for the other kingdoms. So help me! I'm so bad at making up names. :'(**

** Chiefer440**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello wonderful people! Again, if you haven't read Chapter 4 of What Happened? then I'll tell you again...my mom is making me (and the rest of my family) go on a technology blackout, which means no TV, unnecessary computer (which sadly includes FanFiction) and the whole shebang. But she going to let me write on the computer so I'll sneak chapters online :). Anyway, on with chapter 3: back to the present...in the alternate universe...uhh...Chapter 3 everyone!**

* * *

**Fang POV:**

"IGGY!" I shouted. "Do you want to stop pacing?" I inhaled, trying to calm down. The castle has been on lock down for less than 24 hours, yet the fancy Ladies and Lords were complaining about being around each other. I wanted to punch them, tell then to shut up, that at least it wasn't their loved one in a coma. Yet, here I was, sitting down, trying to figure out who had poisoned Max. I had one word of Max's to go on. Before she went comatose, she whispered _yours, _to me. Iggy was pacing, therefore, driving me even more towards insanity.

"Yours!" Iggy shouted. "Your love," I rolled my eyes. Max wouldn't waste her final breath (for a while) to talk about love. I shook my head. "Your…" Iggy resumed pacing. "Servant?" Iggy swung around towards me. "Barty always hated her," I rolled my eyes at Iggy's nickname for Bartholomew. "Well, at least I'm trying," Iggy walked towards me, hand at his sword hilt. My guard moved forward, but I called them off with a hand gesture. Iggy collapsed on the floor, lying down. I got up and prodded his side with my foot.

"Let's just move away from this topic," I danced away from Iggy's flailing arms. I waved my guard out of the room. "Who would want to poison Max?" I started pacing.

"You're right, that is really annoying, especially when you are sitting _here,_" Iggy laughed at me. I turned around, looking at him. He was sitting in my throne. I glared at him, telling him to get out. We started pacing together.

"Maybe it's because Max had bad table manners," Iggy cackled. We never had been able to train Max to have proper table manners. Her 10 some years as a scavenger had not done anything for her manners. "Manners, what else?" Iggy stroked his chin. He was absolutely loony.

"Manners!" I shouted. "Max had bad manners, she has never been good with which cup was hers," I shook Iggy's shoulders, a half smile crossing my face. "She always went for the cup on her left!" I shouted.

"That was _your_ cup!" Iggy shouted. "So nobody wanted to poison Max, they wanted to poison," he trailed off, a worried look on his face.

"_Me,_" I sat down, smile gone off my face. "So why would someone want to poison me?" I asked Iggy.

"You're the crown prince, you've got a really nice girl, with horrible manners, you two made the treaty with our five kingdoms, without you, the treaty wouldn't stand," Iggy got a thoughtful look on his face. "It would have to be someone who would've thought it would be easier to poison you, and escape the fight, and murder Max in an alley or something." Iggy sat on the steps to my throne with me. "So they wouldn't have known that Max would have put up a better fight than you," Iggy looked at me.

"Max also has a better immune system from eating trash most of her life, so the poison hasn't killed her," I said.

"Yet," Iggy frowned.

"Yet," I sighed. I got up. "Come on, let's go tell Mom and Ella," I walked out of the room, Iggy on my heels. We dismissed the guards outside the throne room. I opened the door. Ella looked up and ran over to us.

"What's going on?" Ella asked. I looked away.

"Max accidentally drank Fang's wine," Iggy covered for my silence. "So we think," Iggy looked at the Queen. My mother didn't react the way we would have expected her to. She walked down, her gown of red trailing behind her.

"Do you have any theories as to who it is?" She asked. Iggy and I shook our heads.

"I have one," Ella said. We all looked at her. She held up a slip of paper. "Shawn found this on one of the horses," I grabbed the slip of paper from her hands. "I haven't read it, and neither has Shawn,"

"'We didn't mean to poison the future princess, but we're glad it worked out that way. We can drag this out longer with this chain of events. We'll be watching, Lues," I read aloud.

"This is worse than we thought," My mother grabbed a piece of parchment from her throne and starts writing in her distinctive scrawl. She handed me the paper and told me that I was to give it to Monique. I scowled.

"I don't think she likes me much," I said.

"That's because you are always blinded by your concern," Ella laughed. I looked at her, the question on my face. "You are always concentrating on Max when you are in there," she rolled her eyes.

"May we wish him luck," my mom laughed, her hand on Ella's shoulder. I rolled my eyes at them and walked out of the door. I arrived at the Infirmary. I knocked on the door. The blonde assistant opened the door.

"What do you want?" she growled.

"I'm beginning to sympathize with Ella. Manners are extinct," I mumbled to myself.

"No, just people ignore them when you're around," Angel smirked. She really wasn't that angelic.

"This is for Monique," I held up the scroll. Angel turned around and Monique walked out. She plucked the scroll out of my hands. She sighed.

"That's why," she shook her head. "I've been looking at standard poisons, but if someone wanted to kill you, which, by the way, is totally understandable, they would have used a rare, possibly even unique poison. Which means I'll have to have your goblet," she looked at me. I nodded.

"The banquet room has been untouched," I said. She took off. I trailed behind her. She swung open the great wooden doors.

"Where's your cup?" she looked at me when we arrived at the table. I looked.

"Both of our cups are gone," I said. "We were definitely sitting here," I pointed to the fancy engraving of our names.

"These people are good," Monique smiled grimly. "They have to be inside the castle, and they have to have access to the banquet hall. I swept my hair back.

"Fang!" Iggy burst in, a group of guards with him. "Someone's attacking the castle!" An arrow flew through one of the windows as he spoke. It was quickly followed by 30 more. "Make that multiple someones!" Iggy shouted as we ran back to the infirmary. We made it in the wooden doors. Just after we swung them shut, we heard the thud of arrows sinking into the chestnut. There were no windows in the Infirmary, which made it the best place to hide.

"Prince," Gazzy held out a wooden bow and a sheath of arrows. I looked back and saw my family there. Ella had changed into brown men's pants and a white long-sleeved shirt with a hard green leather plate protecting her heart and stomach. My mom was still in her dress, looking grim, which was not her usual expression.

"Please," I looked at Nudge. "Protect her," I looked at Max. Nudge nodded. Angel ran Ella, Iggy, Iggy's men and me to a secret exit. We climbed up numerous stairs. Several enemy archers were up on the terrace. I shot one in the back and the others crumpled quickly after him. We took their places. Iggy's guard went to the other terraces to take down the other ones. Iggy, Ella and I tried shooting as many as we could.

Ella was a way better shot than I am. She almost never missed her target. One by one they fell down. After their numbers, stronger than ours by tens, started to fall back, one man stood on the terrace across from us. He shot an arrow that embedded itself in the wall behind Ella. She screamed and ducked. I pulled the arrow out of the stone while Iggy shot the offender in the heart. A slip of paper fell from the arrow.

_Meet me at midnight, the place you met Max to go on your first mission. I have something that you need to know. _

I looked at the slip of paper, and tucked it in my pocket. I had a feeling he wasn't going to show if I told anyone else.

"That was fairly random," Iggy frowned. He knew I was hiding something. But he also knew that if I had to tell him I would have. I nodded and thanked whoever was up there that Ella was too busy with her near death experience to notice.

"I wonder what could have prompted that," Ella pondered, fully recovered.

"At least we know who they are now," I held up the slip of paper from the stables up. Iggy nodded.

"We have to ask the other kingdoms if they know anything," Iggy started to practically run down the stairs. "Gazzy, go to the messenger tower, light the signal," Iggy started giving orders.

"Which one?" Gazzy paused at the wooden doors.

"Guys," Ella stepped in. "You're being kind of stupid," we all looked at her. "Everyone is already here," We all looked at each other.

"Good idea," Iggy said.

"Very smart," I said.

"Thanks for remembering," Gazzy said. "Saved me a trip,"

"That's why she's our next Spy Master," My mother hugged Ella's shoulders. All of our mouths fell open as Ella blushed.

Ella? Spy Master? What?

* * *

**Isn't it so funny picturing Iggy running around, giving orders and people actually listening? Makes me crack up. And Ella, in charge of spies? It's almost as good as a sub telling us that the Children's Crusade was like a bunch of 5-6th graders walking from Ohio to San Diego. I couldn't stop laughing for the whole class. I mean can't you just picture it? Anywho, bye!**

**Chiefer440 **


	4. Chapter 4

**I am such a bad person. But in my defense, it's the end of the school year (which I am actually sad about. Wtf is wrong with me?) and along with tests, came lots of drama (which may or may not involve best friends and boys). I'll try to update soon, I already have a good draft of the next chapter started.**

* * *

He met me by the Lily Pond in his plain clothes. A minute later, Queen Valencia joined us in the courtyard. I bowed my head, the prince following my example.

"Two horses will be waiting for you at the stables," the queen said. She walked quickly away. I brought the prince up.

"If we're going to be traveling together, I need to know what to call you," I looked at him. "You have a minute to choose or I am, and you're not going to like it," a ghost of a smile crossed his face.

"Fang," he said. "It's what my friends call me," we reached the stables. Two gleaming white horses were waiting outside. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I walked inside the stables. There were no plain brown horses.

"We need less conspicuous horses," I said, walking back out. "People are going to think we actually stole them from the royal army,"

"I'll just show them this," Fang pulled out an amulet from around his neck. "It's the royal seal," I grabbed the seal from around his neck and threw it into the pond. "That is," he paused "Or was, priceless gold, you insolent beggar!" he screeched. His eyes lit up with anger. He came at me and was inches away from striking me when his hand just stopped. "You're right," I nodded.

"Most often I am," I walked off to the marketplace. "Are you coming?" I walked to the stables. "Hey, Sam," I called.

"Let me guess, Maximum?" Sam sauntered out of the shadows cast by the barn. "Ah, my favorite customer," he smiled. I rolled my eyes.

"I need two horses right now," I said. "You can consider it your payment for last month," I said. "Since you never pay me," I growled. He flipped his chestnut head.

"Why don't you make me?" He slurred. He was most obviously drunk. I flipped him over. I walked inside. I grabbed Rayne, the dark brown mare I always 'borrowed' from Sam. Fang was standing near a shabby black horse.

"Thor," I said. I slid the latch open and threw the reins over Thor's head. Fang saddled Thor while I tacked up Rayne. We were outside in minutes, passing Sam. We trotted politely out of the marketplace, waiting until we crossed the wooden bridge to start moving.

As soon as we passed the bridge, I leaned forward and urged Rayne into a canter. Fang slid up next to me on Thor. I smiled back at him.

"How fast do we have to get there?" I shouted over the wind.

"As soon as possible," he shouted back.

"Let's race till the forest," I said.

"What forest?" he shouted back, scanning the horizon.

"You can't see it!" I laughed and spurred Rayne on. I was up on her neck, taking my weight off of her back. I was glad Sam stocked western saddles. They were heavy and big, but comfortable. Sam made adjustments to his though. He put special stirrups on them, allowing you to go faster. I glanced back and Fang was trying to figure out what to do with his stirrups. I laughed and slowed Rayne down, flopping back in the saddle. Rayne spun her head back to me. I hind quartered her so she was facing Fang. Thor stopped for Fang.

"Have you ridden before?" I asked. Fang nodded. "Let me rephrase," I rolled my eyes. "Have you ridden a _real_ horse?" Fang glared at me. "I'll take it as a no," I swung myself off of Rayne. I grabbed his foot, which he kicked away from me.

"Why are you touching me?" the regal, princely tone was back in his voice. I stuck his foot in the correct position, the balls of his foot on the bottom of the stirrup iron.

"Because out here, it's not about bloodline," I patted his foot and went to fix his other one. "It's about who survives longest," I walked over to Rayne. He kicked Thor forward while I mounted. He looked at me. I refused to look into his onyx eyes. He coughed. I looked and he caught my gaze. "Gullible," I muttered to myself. He chuckled.

"I am sorry," he nodded. "I think," he pondered. I slapped his shoulder and Rayne took off. I was sure I was ahead when I saw something approach out of the corner of my eye.

"Should've taken it as a yes!" Fang shouted and Thor raced on. I laughed and the chase was begun.

We reached the forest at twilight. Fang was in the front, and he reined in Thor. I sat down in the saddle and lifted a branch from my head. Rayne stopped right next to Thor without any visible command from me. I swung off Rayne and we walked deeper into the woods. I found a nice circular clearing. I sent Fang off to gather firewood. When he came back, he set the sticks in the middle of the clearing. I grabbed a piece of rock from nearby. I held it up. Perfect. I took a knife out of my pocket. Fang gave me a skeptical look and I struck the knife against the rock. An ember escaped. I blew on it, gently, giving it extra oxygen. The fire roared to life. I sat back and dusted my hands. I sat on the dried grass next to Fang, gazing at the horses and the fire.

"You've done this before," Fang's words weren't a question. I nodded, poking at the fire with a stick. "You're not really who you say you are," I looked at him and shrugged. I leaned back and stared at the tree tops.

"I wasn't always a street rat, if that's what you mean," I looked up into Fang's face with a sneer. It was in the crackling firelight that I saw how handsome he really was. His strong jaw looked like it had been broken a couple of times. His black hair fell over his eyes that looked orange in the firelight. I looked away before he could catch me looking at him.

"I was born with a family," I plucked a blade of grass. "They loved me, or at least I thought they did," I twirled my blade of grass. "They fed me, they loved me, but then they had a son." I frowned. "It was like all of a sudden I wasn't there anymore. All that mattered was him," I spat. "So I ran away," I shrugged and propped myself up. "So what's your deal?" I asked him.

"I'm a prince from a kingdom," he shrugged. I rolled my eyes.

"Please," I sat up. "You don't find people who lead wonderful lives as the crown prince in the town square, picking fights," I raised my eyebrows.

"Alright," he let out a quick laugh. "I was bored," I shook my head. "Have you ever had anything you wanted? All the time?" he looked at my face and laughed. "Sorry, that was a stupid question. My life has always been easy. I always have dinner, clothes, you know. Sometimes I spar with Iggy, but it's never the same as actually being in a fight," he looked at me. "So I was looking for a real fight, which is what I do whenever I go down to the market. But last time, I found you," He shook his head. "I'd heard about you, but I thought that the stories were just some urban legend. I mean, a girl who could fight? Impossible," he smiled at me. I frowned.

"That's not as interesting as I hoped," I frowned in mock disappointment

"I'm sorry my personal backstory isn't horribly depressing," he laughed. I slapped him on the shoulder and got up. I walked over to Rayne and grabbed some food from her pack. I bit down on the tough meat.

"Your journey gets worse," I tossed a meat square to Fang. He caught it. He looked at it, sizing it up, then took a sniff. His head went back abruptly.

"What is this?" he asked, holding the food between his forefinger and thumb, as far away from him as possible. I laughed and sat down next to him again.

"We call it meat," I snapped a piece off and put it in my mouth.

"This is not meat," Fang looked at me and shook his head. I ate more of mine.

"Well, are you going to eat yours?" I asked. Fang looked at it, gagged and took a bite. I turned around. "We'll get some real food tomorrow morning," I turned over and went to sleep.

"We sleep on the ground?" he asked.

"Unless you can fit a bed on Thor's back," I sighed, drifting into sleep.

* * *

**Hey, sorry it's so short. I just wanted to get it done. Again, so sorry I'm late. But drama keeps finding me! I'd promise to be better over summer vacation, but I'm not promising anything. I don't wanna break a promise. But I'll try. **

**Have a good summer vacation!**

**Chiefer440**


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